Posts Tagged: events

kchopson

Six ways to Improve Event Attendance without Busting Your Budget

Posted by & filed under Event Marketing, Event Rebels Blog, Meetings Technology.

ways to improve event attendance event rebels

When tasked with boosting event attendance, planners often worry that a large budget is needed to reach new goals. Fortunately, there are many ways to deliver a big boost to attendance without breaking the budget. Many of these methods use tools you may already have or require just some minor shifts in how you think about your event. 1. Use Past Registration Data The data collected from previous year’s events presents a treasure trove of valuable insights. Perhaps the most useful way to delve into this data is to look for common categories of attendees. Not only can you group... Read more »

kchopson

Thoughts on MPI’s WEC 2017

Posted by & filed under Event Design, Event Rebels Blog, Meetings, What's New.

The 2017 World Education Congress (WEC) , the annual conference of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) , was held recently at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. WEC’s primary value is education and is a quick way to earn credits for certifications such as the CMP. The conference includes over 70 education sessions and focuses on the best and leading edge practices of the meetings industry. The thousands of attendees include both corporate, non-profit, and association planners as well as suppliers of all kinds from destinations and venues to technology. The theme of this year’s WEC was “Stop Designing Meetings and... Read more »

kchopson

Organizations on Twitter that Meeting Professionals Need to Follow

Posted by & filed under Event Rebels Blog, Social Media, What's New.

Twitter has positioned itself as the social media place to go for meetings and events. Last time we looked at a number of the top meeting professionals you should follow. In addition, many of the industry’s top organizations and media companies have also latched on to Twitter as a great place to deliver their message. These companies have proven that if you follow them, they will keep you on top of the breaking trends. @BizBash BizBash is the place to go to get cool ideas for your events. @EventMB The Event Manager Blog is a standard of event industry news.... Read more »

kchopson

5+ Meeting Pros on Twitter You Need to Follow

Posted by & filed under Event Rebels Blog, Social Media, What's New.

Twitter

Twitter has positioned itself as the social media place to go for meetings and events. The industry’s thought leaders have latched on to Twitter as a great place to deliver their message. The Twitter accounts we describe here represent some of these leaders. You should follow these folks to stay on top of the breaking trends. @corbinball No one tops Corbin Ball when it comes to meetings technology. Look for his feed to find every which way technology can impact meetings. @jeffhurt Jeff Hurt is the leading blogger for Velvet Chainsaw’s popular site. Jeff writes about all things meetings, non-profits,... Read more »

kchopson

Great Resources for Event Professionals

Posted by & filed under Event Rebels Blog, Meetings, Meetings Technology, What's New.

One of the toughest tasks of an event professional is keeping up with the multitude of changes and trends that impact your job. Fortunately, there are a number of great resources that can keep you posted on the latest news and trends in the world of events, conferences and trade shows. The sites mentioned cover news ranging from new hotels to hot event technology. Most of these feature easy to access postings that you can read on your phone in the few moments when you have a break or are waiting for a plane. Event Manager Blog. This blog is... Read more »

kchopson

Will your meeting get hacked?

Posted by & filed under Event Rebels Blog, Internet Security, What's New.

hacker

The widespread release of sensitive information such as credit card and social security numbers has grabbed headlines, disrupting business for several major corporations. Over the past five years, well-respected companies including Sony, Target and Staples have been hacked. As cyber criminals become more sophisticated, the impact of these breaches has spread beyond the general public. Recently, in one of the biggest, most spectacular U.S. cyber attacks, the personal data of 18 million current, prospective or former federal employees was successfully compromised. While it may be comforting to think hackers only go after big-name companies and organizations, it would be a... Read more »

But did you plan for Cyber Security?

Posted by & filed under Event Rebels Blog, Internet Security, What's New.

cyber locks security

The meeting, events, and conference industry is one that hinges on meticulous planning. The level of preparedness we have observed in our three years providing Cyber Security to events has been nothing short of impressive. There seems to be a formal or informal contingency for nearly everything, with an event staff agile enough to handle almost any hiccup. So, why isn’t the same level of attention being paid to cyber threats at these events? “Cyber” is certainly at the front of the headlines, and the public is probably more aware now than they were before major companies in every industry... Read more »

kchopson

Ten Ways to Use Facebook Live & Periscope Streaming Apps for Your Conference

Posted by & filed under Event Marketing, Event Rebels Blog, Meetings Technology, Social Media, What's New.

Live Streaming Phone Apps

Live streaming apps have quickly been recognized as a terrific way to extend your meeting’s brand beyond in-person attendees. Twitter’s Periscope was the first to show the possibilities of live streaming events. However, the arrival of Facebook Live offers a chance to expand your show’s reach to Facebook’s giant ecosystem of over a billion users. The good news is you do not need to pick just one of these apps – you can use both! Since these free apps are a particularly good way to reduce expensive A/V costs, they will be particularly attractive to smaller meetings. Here are some... Read more »

kchopson

Use FOMO to Promote Your Conference!

Posted by & filed under Event Marketing, Event Rebels Blog, Social Media, What's New.

Have you ever experienced FOMO, aka the Fear of Missing Out? You may have gone through FOMO if your peers are about to have a great experience – and you may not be there. In fact, some studies have shown that millennials, in particular, are susceptible to FOMO. Largely as a result of social media, FOMO has become a widely discussed phenomenon. FOMO is not just about having fun. Fear of being left behind professionally by missing a great conference, for example, can have the same effect. The funny thing is that high quality face-to-face meetings, rather than being hurt... Read more »

kchopson

Design Rebel: Marquee Lights are HOT for Your Event

Posted by & filed under Branding, Event Design, Event Rebels Blog, Meetings, What's New.

Design Rebel: Marquee Lights

Nothing says excitement like Broadway and nothing say Broadway like Marquee Lights. The opening shot of the film classic All That Jazz sets the stage for what follows with a dazzling marquee light up. The eye cannot help but be drawn to the raw, pulsating and vibrant lighting that are typical of these displays. Marquee lights have an interesting history. Their appearance is very closely tied to the rise of the automobile. Before these fast moving vehicles arrived, pedestrians had plenty of time to look at signs as they strolled across. However, those signs were generally unable to draw the... Read more »

Design Rebel: Summer Is Here, Winter Is Yumming

Posted by & filed under Event Design.

Design Rebel: Winter is Yumming

The weather is beginning to warm up, which is why catering is just beginning to cool down. Check out some of these sweet treats that you might see at your next event. Frozen Macaroons No doubt, you’ve seen the non-frozen counterparts, but don’t be surprised the next time you bite into one with a little surprise. If the Cronut taught us anything, it’s that classic desserts can sometimes work even better when matched up with another equally classic dessert. Such is the case with these jewel-like macarons filled with semifreddo instead of buttercream in flavors like strawberry-chamomile, Mexican chocolate and juniper-lime.... Read more »

kchopson

Tech Tuesday: What 3D Projection Mapping Can Do For Your Event

Posted by & filed under Event Rebels Blog, Meetings Technology, What's New.

Event Rebels Tech Tuesday

One of the most amazing technologies to hit the world of events and entertainment the last few years is that of 3D projection mapping. In short, this technology can take anything and turn it into a surface for video. What makes 3D projection unique is that those backgrounds are not your classic movie screens, but can be irregularly shaped objects like buildings or even bridges. The general technique is to take the target image and create a “virtual map” of the object. Projectors and specialized software can then take this map and create an object with a new identity. A... Read more »

kchopson

Four Types of Information that Make Up Your Organization’s Big Data

Posted by & filed under Data Analysis, Event Rebels Blog, Meetings Technology, Social Media.

There is a lot of talk these days about using “Big Data” for the purpose of analyzing and solving your organization’s challenges. While your organization should have a large set of data that is relatively easy to access, much data is a lot less obvious in its usefulness and more difficult to compile. Before you begin the process of analyzing your data to improve your organization and events, it might be good to understand the four types of data you should consider. We will start with the “low hanging fruit” and then look at the other possibilities. Internal Structured Data... Read more »

lbradford

Mobile Monday: Using Apps to Extend the Life of Your Event

Posted by & filed under Event Rebels Blog, Mobile Event Apps.

Event Rebels Mobile Monday

Making Mobile Count: Using Apps to Extend the Life of Your Event In recent years, there has been a push towards creating hybrid events–integrating a live, in-person event with digital content. This trend aims to foster year-round engagement, making your event last far beyond the days when you are onsite. One of the best ways to make your event last is to utilize an event app. Event apps give you one place to keep all of your conference’s content, making your app the number one resource for your event. But how do you know what to include in your app... Read more »

Rebel Wanderer: Chicago Part 1

Posted by & filed under Event Rebels Blog, Travel, Venues.

In honor of our upcoming trip to PCMA’s Convening Leaders in Chicago, we thought we’d take this opportunity to highlight some of awesome things we’re looking forward to experiencing in the windy city. Museum of Science and Industry The largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere is playing host to PCMA’s Opening Night event. Housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1983 World’s Columbian Exposition, the museum opened its doors in 1933. The museum is home to more than 35,000 artifacts and 400,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits designed to spark scientific inquiry and creativity. I’m particularly... Read more »

lbradford

Protect Your Room Block from Pirates

Posted by & filed under Event Rebels Blog, Event Scams, What's New.

Pirate Flag

These days, pirates are not just found on the high seas, they’re also abundant in the meetings industry. However, room pirates are not in search of buried event treasure. These unauthorized housing companies are after your exhibitors and attendees instead. They profit by deceiving attendees into making their hotel reservations outside of the room block. Often, housing pirates will misrepresent their companies, faking an association with your event. They will contact attendees and urge them to book their rooms immediately, saying that the room block is either sold out or near capacity. In the best case scenario, they may book... Read more »

kchopson

Product Review: SpeakerBlast

Posted by & filed under Event Rebels Blog, Meetings Technology, What's New.

SpeakerBlast

At a recent gathering of the Baltimore Tech Breakfast, I saw a demonstration of technology that could change the way A/V is used at events. The product is called SpeakerBlast and instead of using a central speaker system, it uses Internet connected devices as the broadcasting medium. So in lieu of the labor and expense of installing A/V hardware, the system sends the audio presentation through smartphones, laptops and tablets. A real life example of the technology was demonstrated at the Tech Breakfast. The most remarkable aspect of the demonstration was that the music always stayed in sync despite being... Read more »

kchopson

Event Networking 101: Why Network?

Posted by & filed under Event Networking, Event Rebels Blog, What's New.

Perhaps you are out of town at a conference and are attending a related evening event. You have a couple of friends present, so you decide to spend all your time at a table chatting with them. When you get back to your hotel room, you’ve met no new people, but, at least, you’re not stressed out. If this is how you behaved at your last conference or recent event, this article is here to say that you are doing yourself a great disfavor! It is understood that event networking is as about as popular as public speaking. For most... Read more »